The Eighteenth Century
The decline of Italian art in many of its most celebrated strongholds gathered pace in the eighteenth century, a slump from which only Venice and Rome stood apart. In the case of the former, its pre-eminence was due to a revival of its grand decorative tradition after a century's gap. This gave it a leading position in European Rococo , the ornate derivative of late Baroque. An updated version of the style of Veronese was first fostered by Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734), whose work is superficially similar to Veronese's, but has an airier, lighter feel. A more individual approach is apparent in the work of Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1683-1754), an outstanding draughtsman whose joyful and harmonious paintings give the impression of a free and easy approach, yet which were actually the result of meticulous planning. Venice also boasted a notable female portraitist in Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757), who was the first artist to use pastel as an independent medium. By far the most accomplished exponent of Venetian Rococo, and one of the greatest decorative artists of all time, was Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770). His work is best seen in an architectural setting, where his illusionistic approach compares favourably with those of the earlier Roman artists in its colour, handling, spatial awareness, sense of fantasy and depth of feeling. The finest schemes were made for foreign patrons (in Wurzburg and Madrid), but there are some excellent examples in Udine, Vicenza and Stra, and several in Venice itself, notably the Palazzo Labia and Ca'Rezzonico. His son, Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1727-1804), aided him on many projects and painted in a broadly similar style, though he had a more obvious eye for satire. Also active in Venice were a number of painters who specialized in painting views of the city as mementos for its aristocratic visitors. The best known of these was Antonio Canaletto (1697-1768), whose images, often painted on the spot and with the use of a camera obscura, have defined the popular conception of the buildings and lifestyle of Venice ever since. However, they are an idealized representation, with spatial arrangements and even individual buildings altered. Canaletto's nephew, Bernardo Bellotto (1721-80), closely followed his style and applied it to cities all over Europe, but took a more literal approach, stressing topographical exactness. A more sombre, musing mood is present in the Venetian views of Francesco Guardi (1712-93), who used a darker palette. His emphasis on transitory light effects foreshadowed the French Impressionists, while his figures have a greater vivacity than those of Canaletto. Genre scenes were also much in demand with visiting tourists, and Pietro Longhi (1702-85), who had a limited technique but ready sense of humour, vividly characterized the Venetian life of his day for the benefit of this market. Among non-Venetian painters, the Genoese Alessandro Magnasco (1667-1749) is particularly distinctive, often combining into one picture his two favourite themes of mannered landscapes ravaged by the elements and ecstatic monks at prayer. In Rome, the tourist demand for views was met by Giovanni Paolo Panini (c1692-1765), who painted both the ruins of the classical period and the modern buildings of the day. These are surpassed, however, by the grandiose large-scale etchings of Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-78), which fully exploit the dramatic contrasts of light and shade possible in the black-and-white medium. The latter can be seen as an early manifestation of Neoclassicism , a movement which began in the middle of the century, inspired partly by a reaction against Baroque excesses, and partly by the excitement caused by the discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum, though many of its leading exponents were foreigners resident in Rome. Neoclassicism aimed at the complete revival of the arts of the ancients, a trend that was particularly marked in sculpture, which had a far larger legacy to borrow on than painting. It is best seen in the works of Antonio Canova (1757-1822), which show great beauty in modelling, though a certain frigidity in the depiction of emotions. His statues are often highly erotic in effect: the several monuments he made in honour of Napoleon include life-sized nude depictions, one of which is now in the Brera, Milan.
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